New York Feed

  • Memorial Day Party at Maison Premiere; Tertulia Starting Special Monday Night Animal Roasts

    • Picnic time: The Brooklyn Bridge Park concession stand collaboration between No. 7 Sub and Luke's Lobster opens 11 a.m. on Monday. The window service operation is located inside the Smokestack Building at 11 Water Street. [Grub Street]

    Maison Premiere is hosting a Memorial Day party on Monday. The celebration will begin at noon with chilled seafood, oyster po' boys, plenty of booze, and live music. It's first-come, first-served. [Grub Street]

    • Heading to the Hamptons this weekend? There will be a Beurre & Sel pop-up at Lucy's Whey in East Hampton on Saturday and Sunday. The pop-up will return for Fourth of July weekend. [Grub Street]

    • Campbell's Soup announced its acquisition of baby-food brand Plum Organics yesterday. It's one of the fastest-growing companies in Silicon Valley. [Forbes]

    • Beginning June 3, Tertulia will start doing Monday Night Roasts of whole animals. Seamus Mullen will start with suckling pig, which will come with family-style sides, dessert, and free-flowing cider. Each month will feature a different meat, and the dinner's priced at $75 per person for four or more guests. But if your group is fewer than four, there's a $40 prix fixe option. [Grub Street]

    Filed Under: leftovers, beurre & sel, campbell's, lucy's whey, maison premiere, plum organics, tertulia

  • There’s an Ice-Cream Truck in Queens That Only Plays Sondheim

    It'll melt your soul.

    There is an odd ice-cream truck making the rounds in the far reaches of Queens. It sells Tweety Bird ice pops and frozen SpongeBob SquarePants treats (with gumballs for eyes) like the rest, but instead of blasting the conventional — or counterfeit — version of the Mr. Softee jingle or a demented "Turkey in the Straw," this one only puts out a depressed, tinkly version of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns." No one, not even the truck's driver, knows why. [Glorified Tomato via WyckoffHeights.com, Related]

    Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

    Filed Under: meltdowns, ice cream men, ice cream trucks, send in the clowns

  • Dingbats and Ale: Magic Hat Sues Lexington-Based West Sixth Brewing Company

    It's all about "starbursts" and "dingbats."

    In response to what it says amounts to a sneaky move, the company that makes Magic Hat beer has filed a federal lawsuit against the Lexington, Kentucky-based West Sixth Brewing Co. over similarities between the two companies' logos. (See them side-by-side here for comparison.) Florida Ice & Farm, the company that owns Magic Hat, claims it first tried negotiating with the start-up brewer last year after a wholesaler alerted them to the logos, which both feature numbers and stars in a round-label setting. Magic Hat alleges West Sixth's owners agreed to modify their design, but then "abruptly changed their minds" and initiated a grassroots-y social media campaign targeting the Costa Rica-based parent company.

    The Kentucky brewery announced it had been the target of "corporate bullying" and published an open letter asking beer lovers to sign a petition to get Magic Hat to lay off. "They call our six an 'inverted nine,' rather than an entirely separate number," West Sixth co-owner Ben Self tells WFPL. "Which is pretty silly, everybody knows that a six and a nine are not the same thing."

    Lexington Brewery West Sixth Locked In Trademark Dispute With Magic Hat Brewing Co. [WFPL]
    Magic Hat Responds to West Sixth Social Media Campaign Over Logo Design Lawsuit -Full Legal Documents [My Beer Buzz]

    Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

    Filed Under: beer me, beer, lawsuits, magic hat, west sixth brewing

  • Surprise! Teens Either Don’t Know or Don’t Care How Many Calories Are in Fast Food

    What'd you expect?

    A new study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that people are largely unaware of the amount of calories in fast food — and teens are the most clueless. It's not shocking news that high-school kids think they're eating a 497-calorie meal when it's actually 756, and that Subway is the most deceiving chain. But if caloric information is more readily available, will young people actually give a shit? Should they? Even if teens are aware that McDonald's Egg-White McMuffin is 250 calories, that doesn't mean it's actually healthy (it's got high-fructose corn syrup and tons of preservatives). Once they're inside fast-food franchises, kids are going to go crazy regardless of calorie counts. The real issue is getting them to not go into these places at all. [Earlier, CBS]

    Read more posts by Sierra Tishgart

    Filed Under: obesity, fast food, food news, health, teenagers

  • Houstonites: Maybe Steer Clear of the Snow Cones for a While

    Yes, he lost his job.

    Rather than to entrust his frozen inventory to an associate, an unnamed ballpark food vendor brought his supply of snow cones into a bathroom stall during an Astros game earlier this week, then placed the entire tray on the floor next to him while he sat on the toilet. In the accompanying, depressing video, reporters talk about how they "broke" the story with the "exclusive" cell-phone video. "This unsanitary vendor might have sold his snow cones to you or your children," the reporter intones, in the most serious newsman voice you can imagine, "had he not been caught on tape first." The Snow Cone peddler was fired "immediately." [KPRC/NBC]

    Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

    Filed Under: not cool, food safety, houston, sno cones

  • Daniel Boulud Opening DBGB Kitchen & Bar in Las Vegas

    Hot diggity dog.

    Reps for the French chef announced this afternoon that later this year he'll open the second branch of his four-year-old, casual East Village restaurant DBGB Kitchen & Bar at the Venetian and Palazzo in Las Vegas. The bistro derives its name, but not much else, from New York's gone and lamented punk institution CBGB. There is little formal service and fewer white tablecloths, but there's an abundance of sausages, oysters, and a mind-boggling array of housemade charcuterie. (There are also baked Alaska and sundaes delivered by trolleys.)

    In keeping with the ineluctable "chefs as rock stars" motif, Boulud's downtown dining room is decorated with beat-up cookware signed over by his equally famous peers — you'll be eating your burger and suddenly realize you're basking under a copper rondeau that once belonged to Bocuse. Or light from Thomas Keller's zabaglione bowl, functioning here like a disco ball, will hit your eye, and then everything else hits you: Your fellow customers aren't sneaking off outside during the meal to smoke joints on the sidewalk, they're just adjusting Instagram filters on snapshots of pork belly. The “French Brasserie meets American Tavern” opens — with a big bar of wine and craft beer to match — later this year.

    Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

    Filed Under: expansions, daniel boulud, dbgb, las vegas, las vegas restaurants, restaurants

  • Universal Studios’ Simpsons Theme Park Will Have Krusty Burger, Moe’s Tavern, More

    Wonder if they'll post calorie counts.

    Springfield from The Simpsons isn't actually in Florida, but a Springfield-themed park inspired by the show is coming this summer to Universal Studios Orlando. What this means for you food-wise is that a real-life Duff Brewery will open and suds will ship out next door to the bona fide Moe's Tavern, which is entirely likely to be much more well-lit and kid-friendly than its small-screen dive-bar counterpart. The Frying Dutchman, Krusty Burger, doughnut shop Lard Lad, a shop selling Bumblebee Man's “Tacos Freshos," and Luigi's Pizza will round out the fine food establishments. Eater spots Cletus' Chicken Shack and other food landmarks from the show's 24 seasons, which you can check out — Danny Elfman score and all — straight ahead.

    Springfield Comes to Life at Universal Orlando This Summer [Universal Orlando via Eater]

    Read more posts by Hugh Merwin

    Filed Under: cartoon food, cletus' chicken shack, duff brewery, frying dutchman, krusty burger, kwik-e-mart, lard lad, moe's tavern, the simpsons, the simpsons theme park, theme parks, tv, universal orlando, universal studios

  • Can Coca-Cola Repair Indian-Pakistani Relations?

    Of course not, but that hasn't stopped the soda company from making a promotional video that touts Coca-Cola's desire "to break down barriers and create a simple moment of connection between two nations." And how did they do that? With vending machines in each country that show live video feeds from the vending machines in the other country. (Think Apple's Facetime, but with the intention to both resolve the Kashmir dispute and sell soda.) As Ad Age tells it, "The idea was to let citizens of both countries — long embroiled in a bitter political and religious battle — see and interact with each other, even complete shared tasks. Once those tasks were accomplished, the machines dispensed a Coke." Simple! Problem solved! You're welcome, world. Why haven't Israel and Palestine thought of this yet?

    Read more posts by Alan Sytsma

    Filed Under: marketing gimmicks, coca-cola

  • Steak Labels Will Now Show Where Animals Were Born, Raised, and Slaughtered

    Out with the old.

    A big step for food transparency: There's a new federal rule that requires labels of steaks and roasts (but not ground meat) to reveal not only the animal's country of origin, but also where it was raised and slaughtered. The World Trade Organization found that when using the old labels, which only showed the country of origin, people discriminated against livestock imported from Canada and Mexico. The Obama-administration-supported rule went effect yesterday, and it'll cost grocery stores and manufacturers anywhere from $53.1 to $192.1 million. [AP]

    Read more posts by Sierra Tishgart

    Filed Under: pedigree, food news, government, meat, steak

  • Why Are New York’s Chefs Afraid of This Man?

    Maimon Kirschenbaum, at his office.

    If you follow restaurants in New York at all, you've seen or heard Maimon Kirschenbaum's name. It's synonymous with — some would say infamous for — a steady stream of wage-violation lawsuits brought against star chefs such as Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, and Keith McNally (he's won settlements from all three), and he's targeted restaurants like Nobu, Philippe, and Le Bernardin. Depending on your point of view, he's either a modern-day Robin Hood, fighting for workers' rights in a business full of corruption, or an ambulance-chasing bully determined to put the city's restaurants out of business.

    Sitting in his office in the Woolworth Building near City Hall, Maimon Kirschenbaum doesn't look like the man whose lawsuits Joe Bastianich once accused of "shaking the very foundation of Manhattan's restaurant industry." Dressed in a Gap hoodie, jeans, and Nikes, the 34-year-old looks more like a kid just out of yeshiva. He even has a signed David Tyree photo on his wall.

    But by his own count he's filed somewhere between 100 and 200 suits on behalf of restaurant employees (he filed one against SD26 in mid-March). He's been called things like the "scourge of restaurateurs" or, less dramatically, a thorn in the industry's side — one that's cost New York restaurateurs north of $40 million in legal settlements.

    Kirschenbaum actually grew up in the restaurant industry. His mother, a caterer and chef, was the namesake of Levana’s, a pioneering upscale kosher restaurant run by Kirschenbaum’s uncles. He also grew up attending the same Upper West Side synagogue as Charles Joseph, who would later become his partner at the law firm Joseph, Herzfeld, Hester & Kirschenbaum. Kirschenbuam worked at Joseph’s law firm before, during, and after graduating from Fordham law school in 2005. The following year, he recalls, a plaintiff suing Smith & Wollensky for wage violations got in touch after hearing about him from a mutual acquaintance.

    Kirschenbaum says, “I didn’t even know there were these kind of cases.” After news of the Smith & Wollensky suit reached the press, Kirschenbaum was contacted by Shameless Restaurants, a now-defunct website that catered to disgruntled service-industry professionals, and asked if he’d post his contact information publicly. Kirschenbaum agreed and got a few more cases that way. "We had a pretty open policy, which was if you have a case against a restaurant, no matter how big or how small, we’re going to take it. It gives you an edge.” Similar wage-violation lawsuits against Heartland Brewery, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Nobu, and Jean Georges followed; the latter two, Kirschenbaum recalls, “got insane press."

    The timing coincided perfectly with the rise of the celebrity chef: Between 2006 and 2008, there was a large surge in restaurant lawsuits, a phenomenon Kirschenbaum partially attributes to the increased visibility of chefs on reality cooking shows. Every editor knows legal woes of the rich and famous make good copy, and now chefs could be targets, too. "I was a young kid, and I dress like a schlump, and I didn’t have, like, a fancy office or I didn’t look the part or whatever," Kirschenbaum says. "But we started suing people, and it made a big splash, like, 'Oh, I’m suing famous celebrity chef A.'"

    Here's how the suits work. The complaints address any of three types of violations: restaurant owners who require staff to share tips with managers or back-of-the-house staff, fail to pay employees for all hours worked (altering time cards to avoid overtime pay, for example), or charge mandatory tips at private events without properly distributing them to the staff.

    When a potential plaintiff comes to Kirschenbaum with a complaint, his team files a class-action suit so that anyone who says they were victims of a restaurant's violations can be a part of the case. Kirschenbaum's most prescient move was realizing that the increased media attention empowered his clients, not the chefs. So Kirschenbaum himself announces his suits via media releases. The publicity that attended his better-known cases drew potential plaintiffs out of the woodwork. “By the time the defendant would hire a lawyer and call me, I’d already have 35 plaintiffs signed on,” he says. “So instead of their lawyer calling me and saying, ‘You’ve got one guy, I’m going to offer him $15,000 and shut this thing down,’ it would be like, ‘Okay, now I have 37 people, what are you going to do?’ They have to essentially settle it as a class action.”

    Owners have said that settling is just cheaper than letting a suit drag out through the legal system, but since the cases don't go to court, it raises the main question surrounding Kirschenbaum's practice: Are the restaurants being sued really doing anything illegal, or has Kirschenbaum identified a legal gray area that he can exploit?

    Carolyn Richmond, a lawyer for numerous restaurateurs, told the Post that suits like Kirschenbaum’s are “a disaster for many small operators” and remarked to Crain’s that “from our perspective, [such lawsuits are] a scam.” In the same article, Andrew Rigie, the executive vice-president of the city chapter of the New York Restaurant Association, claimed that “the litigious atmosphere in New York” was compelling operators to open establishments in other cities.

    Clark Wolf, a hospitality-industry consultant for nearly 30 years who has worked with restaurants like the Monkey Bar and (coincidentally) Smith & Wollensky, sees it another way: The wage-violation suits are "usually directed at people who can afford it, and it gives a heads-up to the rest of the industry." Of Kirschenbaum's media-leaning tactics, he says, "Just because someone is a little bit obnoxious doesn’t mean he’s wrong.”

    One thing that isn't up for debate are Kirschenbaum's results: In April 2012, Kirschenbaum won an $8.5 million class-action settlement against Pier Sixty banquet hall, which is believed to be the largest settlement of its kind (workers claimed they weren’t receiving their share of service charges); in 2009, Kirschenbaum won $2.5 million for Nobu workers who sued the sushi restaurant for tip and wage violations; and in 2008, he filed yet another wage and tip violation against Pastis and Balthazar, eventually winning a settlement of $1.5 million.

    The most famous victory was against Mario Batali and Joe Bastiniach, whom Kirschenbaum issued a class-action complaint alleging wage and tip violations in 2010 that eventually led to a $5.25 million settlement that was distributed among 117 plaintiffs and others who worked for the eight restaurants in question between 2004 and 2012.

    Of course, a huge chunk of any settlement goes right back to lawyers, but Kirschenbaum won't say how much money he's made off the suits. The Post points out that in the case of Kirschenbaum’s $2.5 million Nobu settlement, $833,333 went to his and other law firms, while the 500 workers got an average of $3,300. “That’s including workers who worked there for one day,” Kirschenbaum says. “People who worked there for a long time are making a significant sum of money. Obviously, they’re not making as much money as the attorneys who are recovering money for hundreds of similar individuals.”

    "When we started, it was like they were petrified of suing restaurants," Kirschenbaum says. "And now it’s like every restaurant owner is walking around in fear of his employees, which is good, I think.”

    Kirschenbaum clearly has New York's chefs and restaurant owners spooked. Every single chef we approached for this story wouldn't speak on-record, except one: Moshe Wendel, the chef-owner of Pardes, a kosher restaurant in Boerum Hill where Kirschenbaum is a regular. “I find him to be a very sweet, personable guy,” Wendel says. “But I don’t know him on the wrong end of the gun.”

    Read more posts by Rebecca Flint Marx

    Filed Under: profiles, chefs, maimon kirschenbaum, mario batali, new york

  • Lil Jon Gets Tequila Delivered to Sen; Cameron Diaz and Nicki Minaj Lunch at Mulberry & Vine

    He gifted the owner a bottle of Don Julio.

    Celebrities who weren't vying for tickets to Leonardo DiCaprio's $4 million space voyage spent their money on sustenance this week. Lady Gaga continued her apparently endless healing process at Haru Sushi, Cameron Diaz and Nicki Minaj took a break from filming The Other Woman for lunch at Mulberry & Vine, and Rebel Wilson was on her best behavior at the General. This, and more, in our weekly roundup of celebrity dining.

    Cheetah's Gentlemen's Club: Dennis Rodman celebrated his birthday here, refusing to comment on the fact that his pal Kim Jong-un was not in attendance. It's a shame: Strippers might have helped the North Korean dictator loosen up a bit. [NYDN]

    Dos Caminos: Teen-mom-cum-porn-star Farrah Abraham chose the Mexican restaurant for lunch with an unidentified male. She looked "demure!" [US Weekly]

    The General: Rebel Wilson "looked to be on a mission to make a good impression," chatting with Anne Sweeney at a party. Yes, Daily News, "Rebel with a cause." [NYDN].

    The Great GoogaMooga: Maggie Gyllenhaal watched the Flaming Lips with Peter Sarsgaard, before the food festival got rained out. [Page Six/NYP]

    Greenwich Project: Jamie Foxx choose the newish restaurant for a few friends' birthday celebrations. [NYDN]

    Haru Sushi: We thought Juice Generation cured Lady Gaga, but Mother Monster is still mending. She was able to climb stairs at the Gramercy sushi spot. [NYDN]

    Pepela: Bill Clinton stopped at the Upper East Side restaurant for salad with the president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. [NYDN]

    Mulberry & Vine: Cameron Diaz stopped in the new Tribeca café after filming The Other Woman; her co-star Nicki Minaj was spotted out front. [Page Six/NYP]

    Philip Marie: The Office's Ellie Kemper left Scranton for the West Village. [Page Six/NYP]

    Stanton Social: The cast of The East, including Ellen Page and pro-cook Alexander Skarsgård, celebrated with red snapper tacos, beef carpaccio, and spicy lamb souvlaki. [People]

    Sen: Lil Jon discussed tequila with the restaurant's owner, Tora Matsuoka, and had his assistant deliver a Christian Dior bag of Don Julio mid-meal to give to his new friend. Pimp status. [NYDN]

    Read more posts by Lauren Duca

    Filed Under: celebrity settings, cheetah's gentleman club, dos caminos, googamooga, greenwich project, haru sushi, mulberry and vine, new york, pepela, philip marie, restaurants, sen, stanton social, the general

  • Morrissey Shames Kate Middleton for Enjoying Foie Gras

    All class.

    In a plea for his fans to convince London department store Fortnum & Mason to stop selling foie gras, the high-maintenace animal-rights activist called out "Kate Muddleton" for eating the delicacy. "Unsurprisingly, this most savage and cruel commodity continues to be the favorite 'dish' of smiling mother-to-be Kate Muddleton (from whom, in fact, we expect no less.)," he writes on fan site True to You. "Foie gras production is illegal in the U.K., yet the ever-so-correct Fortnum & Mason have found suppliers in France who will keep their shelves stocked — possibly with the hope that smiling Kate will wobble in and place an order for her unborn child." So he's fat-shaming pregnant Kate, too? Oh, hell no! [Earlier, Cut, Guardian]

    Read more posts by Sierra Tishgart

    Filed Under: foiemageddon, animal cruelty, duchess of cambridge, england, foie gras, kate middleton, morrissey, prince charles

  • Watch Danny Bowien Talk Bacon and Bombay on Fallon

    The Mission Chinese Food chef hit Late Night last night for a segment devoted to his signature thrice-cooked bacon (and, fair warning, an overt promotional plug for Bombay Sapphire East). If you follow the chef at all, there isn't much new info here — his food's spicy, his restaurants donate money to charity, he was once a pesto champ — but he's as charming as ever, and he does get a chance to talk about his upcoming Oklahoma fund-raiser. Check it out, straight ahead.

    Earlier: Danny Bowien Headed to Oklahoma to Cook

    Read more posts by Alan Sytsma

    Filed Under: video feed, chefs, mission chinese food, new york, san francisco, tv

  • Ramen Master Ivan Orkin Gets Pretzels in New York, Sushi in Tokyo, and Ice Cream Anywhere He Can Find It

    Orkin grabs a Sicilian slice before he splits for Japan.

    Ivan Orkin's return to New York has been met with a response you might call rapturous fanfare as people await the opening of his Ivan Ramen shop on Clinton Street, now scheduled for mid-July. ("Hopefully," Orkin says of the date. "We're going through the throes of the build-out.") Even still, he says his own heart is still in Japan: "I didn't leave because I didn't like it. I left because it was time to do a new project." And so, while he gets his New York project together, he still found some time this week to head to Tokyo with his new chef. The goal: "We're gonna eat like motherfuckers." To read all about sushi and intestine hot pots in Japan, a Mission Chinese feast in New York, and lots and lots of ice-cream cake, read on in this week's Grub Street Diet.

    Friday, May 17
    Morning. Chobani pineapple yogurt — was in a hurry to get out the door.

    I stopped at the Essex Street Market on the way to the shop and and bought a 35-cent banana to tide me over until lunch at Mission Chinese Food.

    Met friends at Mission and we benefited from Danny's upcoming menu change. We got treated to amazing new dishes: cabbage salad with anchovy dressing, schmaltz-fried rice, unbelieveable rice noodles wtih sausage, and all the other classics. I ate so much I waddled out of the shop.

    Power-walked from my shop to get a cortado at Abraço on First Ave and 7th Street. My favorite place for a cup — so deliciously bitter.

    Walked through Union Square on my way to Paragon to use a gift certificate I got for my birthday and bought a Martin's Pretzel, probably one of my favorite things to eat. I once schlepped an eight-pound box on the plane back to Tokyo.

    My boy turned 13, so we went to the local expat Japanese restaurant and had sushi for 20 bucks — and it's not bad, fun mix of expat Japanese and local Americans. Somehow I think of myself as expat Japanese ...

    Got home and had Cold Stone Creamery chocolate ice-cream cake. Never much liked their ice cream, but I love their cakes.

    Saturday, May 18
    Woke up and had a freshly ground cup of Peet's coffee, which I've been drinking religiously since the eighties — have every morning.

    Make my wife and 4-year-old — the big kids are still sleeping — breakfast quesadillas with cheese, avocados, and roast turkey. It sounds stupidly simple, but it is delicious.

    Lunchtime it's Caeser salad, which I've been playing around with for the shop. It's a silky tofu dressing with a baby anchovy frico. I'm in love with it. More ice-cream cake for dessert.

    A lull between meals, so a bowl of Berry Fruitful Kashi cereal with soy milk as a snack. My wife got five boxes for a buck apiece, and it's sort of healthy-ish, so I've been eating it every day, practically.

    Fiftieth-birthday dinner for me at my sister's house. They knocked it out of the park with steak, shrimp, and chicken tacos cooked on the grill. And, of course, Cold Stone Creamery birthday cake. This time strawberry — a sacrifice, because chocolate is alway the first choice, but my older sister can't eat it.

    Sunday, May 19
    Natto and a raw farm egg whipped together on rice with a little scallion. It's one of my favorite breakfasts: creamy, gooey — everything a Western breakfast isn't. I could eat this everyday, but you have to buy special eggs at the Japanese market. In Japan you can eat any egg raw without worry.

    I go to Ren's buddy Drew's birthday party, and they have lunch! Roast veg and portobello sandwiches, salad, mac and cheese, and chocolate chip cookies, Pretty fancy for a 4-year-old's birthday party.

    Started to reach for a slice of ice-cream cake but found resolve and had a bowl of Kashi cereal with banana and soy milk. Later, my wife made everyone fruit smoothies, and I participated.

    Headed to the Bronx with the fam for pho on Jerome Avenue. Great noodles and really funky, delicious bahn mi.

    Came home, watched the new Star Trek for the umpteenth time, and succumbed to more ice-cream cake.

    Monday, May 20
    Grabbed an apple and a Fiber Plus bar — another massive coupon explosion at 60 cents a box. I hope I'll have time for real food later.

    Was in the NYU neighborhood eating with the kids. Had a Sicilian slice, which is the first Sicilian I've had since I moved away. It was simple neighborhood pizza but nice and tasty. Meeting in between then, ate at an Asian café and had a grilled shiitake salad. Nice portion and refreshing — exactly what I wanted.  

    Went to Eataly and looked at a pasta cooker I want to use at the restaurant. I figured I needed some ice cream, and I ended up getting apricot and anisette cookie sorbetto. It was good, but my GM Bill was along for the expedition, and I realized too late I should have gone for the chocolate hazelnut after tasting his.

    Walked through Union Square on the way to the train and guzzled an ice-cold cup of apple cider. Not really the season, but refreshing anyway.

    Walked through the door and there were three Cryovac'd prime rib eyes that were thawing and ready for the grill. Fired up the Weber, pressure-cooked some potatoes, and made a salad.

    Each steak was a pound and a half, but with a bunch of boys staring at me with hungry eyes I wasn't worried about finishing them. With potatoes smashed and slathered with butter and Japanese ginger-carrot dressing, which will make some type of appearance on the menu at the shop — fabulous.

    Ice-cream cake for dessert. Somebody help me finish this! It was only me and Ren this time. His had an addition of fresh strawberries, and he was very articulate about how they should be cut and placed on the plate.

    Tuesday, May 21
    Travel day to Japan.

    Yogurt for breakfast: Started with Chobani apple but switched halfway through and finished my wife's apricot Active plus. Also had half an everything bagel with butter and cream cheese.

    Had a fantasy of stopping somewhere in Queens for an awesome bite, but the Whitestone was backed up and I just made it to JFK with a few minutes to spare. We went to Terminal 4, where of course three days later Shake Shack was going to open. I settled for a ham and cheese heated in a magic oven.

    On the plane I wolfed down peanuts and pretzels and an OJ. Then I broke into my Trader Joe's 78 percent dark chocolate tin.

    "Chicken or beef?" Chicken it was, and as usual, I ate my food with embarrassing gusto, carefully slathering my stale roll with Land o Lakes butter, and ranch dressing on my iceberg. I left my shrimp salad untouched, as I always do. Never trust shrimp in coach.

    I finished by carefully unwrapping my brownie and enjoying it more than I should have.

    Seven hours into the flight I was handed a bag with a tiny ham-and-cheese sandwich and Milano cookies. The banana gets shoved aside; Hellman's squeezed all over my tiny sandwich, which I ate in two bites and followed with the Milanos.

    "Shrimp-fried rice or omelette?" I stuck with the no-shrimp rule and took the omelette. Devoured the egg, sausage, and potato with the knowledge that good food was only a couple of hours away.

    Wednesday, May 22
    Back in Tokyo, and after cleaning up, we went out to my neighborhood sushi shop, which would be a four-star shop in NYC. I was greeted warmly, which is so nice, and we ordered the omakase, which among other things included a konbu-wrapped snapper, perfectly briny uni, and probably the most amazing sardines I've had in many years. After many more items and a delicious cask-aged shochu, we needed more!

    We went to a great down-and-dirty restaurant specializing in motsu, or intestines. We got the montsu nabe (hot pot) that simmered in front of us, and as soon as the vegetables wilted, we dug in. 

    It would have been prudent to stop then, but I hadn't had ice cream yet, and I certainly hadn't had ice cream in Japan yet. I ended up at Family Mart, one of the big chains, and settled in front of the freezer bin. Gari Gari Kun is my favorite ice pop: The middle is chunks of flavored ice wrapped in popsicle ice. My favorite flavor, chocolate, was not there, and the new flavor corn potage is just not for me. So I went for the strawberry mochi monaka. Monaka is a wafflelike thing stuffed with vanilla ice cream, mochi, and strawberry jam. It was good, and finally I was ready to call it a day.

    Read more posts by Alan Sytsma

    Filed Under: the grub street diet, chefs, ivan orkin, ivan ramen, mission chinese food

  • Saturdays Surf Collaborates With La Colombe on a Cold Brew; Gilt Taste Is Over

    Saturdays Surf NYC is partnering with La Colombe for a signature blend of iced coffee. The fusion of ingredients from Brazil, Ethiopia, and El Salvador will be available in the shops and online. [Grub Street]

    • After two years, Gilt Taste is closing. All products will now be sold through Gilt Home. [Eater]

    • SAVOR's American Craft Beer & Food Experience event is on June 14 and 15 in the Altman Building on West 18th Street, with food from San Francisco's the Monk's Kettle. Purchase tickets here. [Grub Street]

    Murray's Cheese Bar is now serving lunch on Thursdays and Fridays. A flight of cheese is a fantastic mid-afternoon pick-me-up. [Grub Street]

    Rosemary’s is debuting juices during breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch. The fresh-pressed beverages include carrot, apple and ginger, and green juice. [Grub Street]

    • It wouldn't be Memorial Day weekend without Rippers. The Rockaway Beach hot spot will open this Saturday. Hooray! [Grub Street]

    • Recently opened Soho spot Little Prince is adding lunch and brunch menus, with items like brioche pain perdu soaked in vanilla crème with berry compote and ricotta, and an exclusive "Nutella-esque" spread, created with Jacques Torres. [Grub Street]

    Filed Under: leftovers, food news, gilt taste, little prince, murray's cheese bar, new york, restaurants, rippers, rosemary's, saturdays surf nyc

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  • Hi, Pie! How Are You?
    Banoffee Pie
    Brownie likes pie. A lot. Me? I'm kind of on the fence sometimes. I'd rather have ice cream or cookies or ice cream and cookies topped with hot fudge and whipped cream and some sprinkles. But lately I've been eating pie as my lunch dessert. Of course I'm going to tell you guys about it only if it's delicious and holy mother, they have been delicious. This beautiful specimen of pie was had at the Brooklyn Sandwich Society. It's called a Banoffee pie--a English pie made with a layer of bananas, toffee or dulce de leche, and sweet gorgeous whipped cream. I'm in love.

    Banana Cream Pie
    And obviously I'm banana crazy because the other pie came courtesy of Fritzl's Lunch Box where it was delivered from Pies-n-Thighs. I should not be made aware that this pie with its creamy banana filling and flaky crust and 'Nilla wafers really exists within walking distance of my place. I'm going to pretend its home is in Bushwick, not Williamsburg. The best part is the little pie face I see which almost makes it too adorable to eat. Almost.

    Brooklyn Sandwich Society
    184 Dekalb Avenue
    Fort Greene
    (718) 596-4147

    Fritzl's Lunch Box
    173 Irving Avenue
    Bushwick
    (929) 210-9531
  • Dinosaur vs. Hamburger Shake Shack-themed Birthday Cake
    Shake Shack Dinosaur birthday cake

    Lil B is very into dinosaurs these days. And of course he's a Shake Shack fan. Naturally, this is his favorite t-shirt. In the run up to his birthday this year, whenever I'd ask him what kind of cake he wanted, he'd tell me "a green cake" so that's what he got...a Shake Shack-inspired green cake...

    I'm going to admit here that the dinosaur's cake innards came from a blue box. But stuffed inside that delicious boxed mix yellow cake was homemade dark chocolate pudding (seriously, this is my favorite chocolate pudding EVER). The chocolate pudding filling was in part a tribute to Lil B's current favorite book, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems, a retelling of the classic tale where chocolate pudding factors in prominently. The cake was topped with my own version of grocery store buttercream--you know the sugary part shortening, part butter frosting. Lil B went crazy for it. After announcing it was a "Dinosaur eating a hang-ka-bur, he proceeded to plant his face and teeth into said hang-ka-bur. When he came up for air he said: "Mama, I'm sharing the hang-ka-bur with a dinosaur!"

     How does it stack up to past birthday cakes? You be the judge. Here's the 1st cake and the 2nd. I do think my decorating skills are getting better and better.
  • Our Last Signing and We're Bringing CoolHaus!!!
    Chocolate Chip & Strawberry
    So many moons ago, I wandered down to Marlow & Daughters for my first taste of Coolhaus. If you'd told me then that I'd be asking them to come vend outside my book signing in a few years, I would have told you to shut it. And get away from my ice cream. But yes, next week, Coolhaus is bringing their truck to Greenpoint to sell some ice cream sandwiches while (maybe, because she might be having a baby) Alex and I sign some books.

    It's all going down Tuesday evening around 7pm. We'll be hanging out at WORD on Franklin Avenue, doing our last signing for quite awhile, possibly ever. Coolhaus is bringing their truck by a little early because I want to eat ice cream to tell passersby why they're here and get them to buy a copy. Of course, all of you are welcome to come join us. It's entirely possible that I'll be hitting up Paulie Gee's after.

    WORD Brooklyn
    126 Franklin Avenue
    Greenpoint
    (718) 383-0096
  • Brownie's a CSA Quitter
    Baby Turnips from Katchkie
    Last year I expressed some ambivalence about rejoining up with my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture—on the one hand, yay fresh vegetables! But ah, it’s such a commitment to eating said vegetables. At the last minute I got off the waitlist and was back in the CSA fold, but this year I’ve made a firm commitment to not joining. Yes, I’m a CSA quitter…

    What I loved about the CSA hasn’t changed. It’s great to get organic vegetables and support local farms. I love seeing the different crops come into season and cooking with new-to-me vegetables. The CSA is all volunteer run and it’s on a sliding scale which enables folks with limited income to still enjoy weekly fresh, organic vegetables but at a much lower cost.

    BUT…it’s also a big strain. Over the past few years deciding who’s picking up the veggies has become an unnecessary source of marital strife. Last year I’d conservatively that we missed at least a third of the pick-ups. The excess veggies get donated to a local soup kitchen so at least they don’t go to waste, but when you’re paying for vegetables and not getting them, it feels like you’re just wasting money.

    Then there’s the actual eating of the vegetables. You know how it is…summer weekends get booked up fast! Whether it’s an invite to a friend’s barbecue or just kicking back for dinner al fresco at neighborhood joint at the end of the week or one of the many fun summer food events, there’s no shortage of opportunities to eat out to be social. At times I’ve felt like a slave to my vegetables, whether it was the attempting to prolong their shelf lives, balancing eating everything by the time the next delivery arrived, or invariably finding a bag of rotting radishes at the back of the crisper. When your CSA haul turns into liquidy organic compost in your fridge, that also feels like a waste of money.

    This year I’ve following what was my back up plan last year before I jumped back into CSA-dom, I’ve made myself a farmer’s market fund. I'm setting aside the money I would have spent on my CSA and spending that money on a weekly basis (or an as-is-convenient basis) at the greenmarket. So I’m still supporting local farmers and getting to know the producers, but I’m getting the veggies I want, when I want them so there’s more of a chance I’ll actually eat them--at least that's the hope. Did you join a CSA this year? Or do you have your own greenmarket fund?
  • Bring It, Summer.
    Vinegar Hill House Soft Shell Crab
    I know, summer probably starts at the end of next week for most of you, but for me, it starts Thursday night with the hand-in of my paper. And then Googa Mooga happens: bands, beer, bacon, and us. Oh yes, us.

    Googa Mooga
    Last year's Googa was last year. That Saturday was, let's not think about it. But this year it all kicks off Friday night--when I will be rocking out to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs handing out single serve cups of ice cream for my Big Gay friends. Saturday: eating bacon, fried chicken, burgers, and other assorted fat kid things while trying my hardest to collect all the trading cards. Then Sunday rolls in, where I get to be "the talent"! A few weeks back, we were asked to do something hilarious if we were accepted into Googa Mooga Literary Tent's events. We were accepted. Hilarity commences at 6pm Sunday evening, right after De La Soul wraps up their set. Did I mention I have access to the backstage open bar all day? This may be epic.
  • Why Yes, Brownie Does Love the New Ronnybrook Soft Serve from BGIC
    Coffee Cardamom soft serve from BGICT
    Let it be known that I don't get over to Big Gay Ice Cream nearly as often as I'd like. Let it also be known that their new Ronnybrook milk-based soft serve is certifiably awesome...

    Last month...wait...no at the very end of March...the Daily News snapped some pics of us for an article they ran about NYC based cookbooks. We were pretty psyched that our book, New York a la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple's Best Food Trucks was featured alongside Daniel Humm and Will Guidara's I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes and Franny’s: Simple, Seasonal, Italian among others. We were also psyched to do our photo shoot at Big Gay Ice Cream's West Village Shop where we could model both our book and some of their goods. Blondie got the Salty Pimp with sprinkles while I went for a swirl of their coffee and cardamom...oh my soft serve, it was delicious. Super creamy. Cardamom can be a strong flavor and this had nice hints of cardamom without being too overpowering. It paired really nicely with their coffee flavor. If you want a full write up of their soft serve from a ice cream expert, check out Serious Eats NY editor, Max Falkowitz's post.

    The special soft serve is available at their West Village Shop. Follow Big Gay on Twitter @biggayicecream for details about what flavors are in rotation. I'm dying to try the Yellow Cake and Brownie Batter swirl. DYING. TO. TRY. IT. Hopefully those flavors will be on the docket again soon.

    Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
    East Village
    125 East 7th Street, New York, NY 10009
    212-533-9333

    West Village
    61 Grove Street, New York, NY 10014
    biggayicecream.com
  • Food Truck, Fighter Planes, and Frightening Lines.
    Choice Streets
    Choice Streets 2012 was one of my favorite events of the year: just the right amount of waiting time on lines, enough food, things to do in between bites, plentiful seating. The only negative ended up being the weather; it was outside and a bit chilly which caused our food to get cold quickly. This year, they moved it from April to May ensuring the weather would cooperate, but this appeared to have angered the food event gods.

    Kelvin Slush
    I felt this year had plenty of trucks, but something terrible happened: lines. Half hour long lines. Lines on lines on lines. Lines getting jumbled. Granted this general situation possibly came about from missing and non-serving trucks--I'm beginning to suspect that propane tank are the finickiest things. So, you'll have to excuse the small amount of food photos. I was on line most of the time. These were two of multiple Kelvin slushies we enjoyed. They didn't have a line.

    Souvlaki GR
    Souvlaki GR was ready with little plates of souvlaki and Greek fries with a side of tzatziki. I had multiples of this as well because it's always good. Always.

    Mexico Blvd. Flauta
    Mexico Blvd. had a good length of a line, but mainly due to them serving up the flauta fresh, like piping hot out of the oil. It was filled with black beans meaning it was healthy! Well, maybe it wasn't, but it was definitely delicious and worthy of two line trips.

    Desi Truck
    One truck that I see all the time--they like parking around NYU--yet never seem to order from is Desi Truck. They had the benefit of being the first truck seen by guests. I quite enjoyed this sample version of a kati roll filled with tiny cubes of tender potatoes and will consider getting the normal version when out and about.

    Rhong Tiam
    And I finally got to try Rhong Tiam's food. I'd never stopped by the restaurant nor the cart, so it was nice to get a taste. First up was a bit of their spicy chicken empanada, and then a good half of their burger. The meat was decently spiced adding a nice flavor to the burger, and they managed to get a great burger-to-bun ratio going.

    Despite the lines, I still enjoyed last night. Events like this are always fun when the booze is flowing and you have friends in tow.
  • Mmmm...Homemade Sriracha Cheez-its
    Sriracha Cheez-its 
    Recently I've been on a cheese kick. Longtime readers might ask, "When are you not on a cheese kick, Brownie?" Touché, dear readers, touché. I'll admit cheese pretty frequently makes my top ten list of things I want to consume immediately, but lately I've 1) been treating myself to delicious (and somewhat fancy) cheese and 2) been playing around in the kitchen with cheese. Inspired by our blogging friend, Ms. Molly Yeh, I recently made not one but TWO batches of Sriracha Cheez-its and I can certify that if you love cheesy crackers as much as I do, this is a recipe you'll want to get on, stat!

    You can find this easy peasy recipe over on Molly's blog. After making the crackers on two separate occasions here are my tips/modifications...

    *I used 8.5 ounces of 3 year aged cheddar

    *I love spicy food, so I used at least a tablespoon of Sriracha

    *Unless you are making these for a crowd, I recommend dividing your dough and freezing half them defrosting and rolling it out when you are ready. These cheesy crackers are super buttery and delicious. And if you're like me you might find your self control lacking in their presence. The first time I made them, I gorged on cheese crackers. I'm not going to say I didn't gorge the second time I made them as well...but when you make half the amount of crackers, gorging on them is only half as bad.

    Lawman-in-law and I started brainstorming what kind of cheese crackers I'll tackle next. I'm thinking Gorgonzola, but there's always I chance I could switch it up and go with Gruyère. What kind of cheese crackers would you love to make/eat?
  • Our Friends Have Books Coming Out Too!
    Ice Cream Soda
    Ours isn't the only book hitting the shelves right now. For one thing, my good friend, Rachel, released her book, Ultimate Nachos, last week. And next week, the book from P&H Soda is releasing with a party at powerHouse!

    P&H Soda Book
    Woooo, pretty
    I've met Anton Nocito a few times, most recently when he made me an ice cream soda float at New Amsterdam Market. If you're one who's gotten into the Sodastream craze, you'll totally want to get in on this. The big release party with demos(!) is next Thursday evening at 7pm, RSVP requested here. But, er mah gawd, that's not all! The book from our friends at Robicelli's is officially on pre-order and so is the Mast Brothers Cookbook and--holy baloney!--Cakespy's new book is out next week! Who said publishing is dead?!
  • Brancaccio's Rigatoni Caprese is Garlic-tacular
    Brancaccio's rigatoni caprese
    It's no secret that I love the rotisserie chickens from Brancaccio's Food Shop in Kensington. My family subsisted on them while I was writing and revising the book. But lately I've been adding a little something extra to my regular orders and that something extra is the Rigatoni Caprese which is nothing short of garlic-tacular...

    Here's the deal, there's ricotta salata, there's chili flakes, there's sliced grape tomatoes, parsley, maybe some Parm(?), and there's enough fresh garlic to make your nonni proud and ward off any nearby vampires. Rigatoni is an under appreciated pasta shape and here Brancaccio makes use of the large, tubular pasta's lines which are like channels of garlicky, cheesy goodness. While this is a relatively new addition to the menu joining the popular bacon mac & cheese, it's fortunately in regular rotation. Add some perfectly sauteed broccoli rabe and dinner is ready for the table.

    Brancaccio’s Food Shop
    3011 Fort Hamilton Pkwy
    Between East 2nd & 3rd Streets
    Brooklyn, NY
    (718) 435-1997
  • Balinese Banana Pancakes
    Selamat Pagi Banana Pancakes
    Apparently it's a thing for single ladies approaching their mid-30s to visit Bali in search of peace and wholeness, then have a fling with another local ex-pat and fall in love. I don't know if I'll be up for such things when my time comes, but I do know there will be banana pancakes and that can't be half bad!

    At least, this is what Laura O'Neill, yes the same behind Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, tells me. Every morning in Bali, you get banana pancakes. So, at their new Balinese place, Selamat Pagi, they had to have banana pancakes on the brunch menu. They're denser than the ones we're used to, but have a decent amount of sliced bananas in the cakes. Then they're covered with toasted coconut *and* macadamia nuts. Then you top them off with homemade vanilla-flecked whipped cream and palm sugar syrup. Yes, palm sugar syrup. And then you proceed home to price vacations to Bali, possibly laughing at the people along the way who are still waiting for a table to eat plain old pancakes for brunch.

    Selamat Pagi
    152 Driggs Avenue
    Greenpoint
    (718) 701-4333
  • Strawberry Balsamic Pie is Back at Four & Twenty Blackbirds
    Four and Twenty Blackbirds Strawberry Balsamic 
    I'm a firm believer in the "birthday rules" and by birthday rules, I mean, if it's your birthday, you're in charge. You do what you want and when you want. You also eat what you want. And that includes starting your special day with your breakfast of choice. In my case, that was Strawberry Balsamic Pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds...

    My only regret is that I didn't have room to repeat this slice because it was soooo good. Blondie is a big proponent of strawberry pies in general and went she started tweeting about wanting to make one a couple of weeks ago, I naturally started craving one, too! Strawberry pies can easily venture into cloyingly sweet territory. Not the case with the pies from Four & Twenty. As always the crust is flakey, buttery perfection and the filling with bursting with juicy, strawberry goodness. This pie is a delicious reminder that spring is finally here! I'm looking forward to making a return visit for seconds.

    Four & Twenty Blackbirds
    439 Third Ave. at 8th St,
    Brooklyn, NY 11215
    718-499-2917
    birdsblack.com 

    Hours: Monday to Friday: 8am - 7pm
    Saturday: 9am - 7pm
    Sunday: 10am - 6pm
  • Fancy Rotisserie Lamb Sando at Lincoln Station
    Rotisserie Lamb Sandwich
    My gig at Citysearch means searching this city for only the latest and greatest spots, and though I try to not focus on Manhattan and Brooklyn, it's so hard! Especially when great places like Lincoln Station are opening up!

    The folks behind al di là and Bar Corvo have brought south Crown Heights a bit of their culinary genius. Lincoln Station is perfect for breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee, and dinner take-out. I'm serious. I stopped by for a little lunch time work--free Wifi is always a plus in my book--and picked up their rotisserie lamb sandwich. Succulent slices of lamb sandwiched between ciabatta with cucumber, fava bean puree, and a spicy yogurt sauce adding a Mediterranean flavor. The kicker? It's under $10. I desperately need to get back to try the tripe Sloppy Joe. Genius!

    Lincoln Station
    409 Lincoln Place
    Crown Heights
    (718) 399-2211
  • Come See Us This Weekend! There Will Be Booze
    Frozen mint julep

    It's never too early to make weekend plans! And if you love street food this weekend promises to be a great one. Firstly...the Red Hook Vendors are kicking off their 2013 season at the Red Hook Park ball fields on Saturday. Blondie and I will be hitting up the park for some delicious pan-Latin specialties. Pupusas! Huaraches! Ceviche! Then we'll make our way to the fabulous Bookcourt in Cobble Hill where we'll be signing our book with the lovely Kim Ima from The Treats Truck (who will be signing her own book, The Treats Truck Baking Book, too). We're going to be demo-ing one of our favorite recipes from the book, the Frozen Mint Juleps from Kelvin Slush. So come join us for lunch at the ball fields and/or let's have drinkies together at Bookcourt. Here are the full details...

    Red Hook Food Vendors return to the Red Hook Ball Fields Saturday. If you aren't familiar with the vendors this Serious Eats post is a great place to get acquainted. The carts and trucks open around 10am and close near dusk. They'll be there rain or shine. We had the honor of interviewing 8 of the vendors for our book and captured many wonderful stories. The sacrifices and the adversity that these vendors have overcome all while serving some of the best, homemade Latin food in the city is inspiring. The vendors will have to bid for a new 6 year permit at the end of the season and there are no guarantees, so get out there and support the vendors and show them that all the hard work--giving up every single summer weekend--is worth it. We'll be there at lunchtime, feel free to drop by and say hello. Follow us @blondiebrownie. If you have a copy of our book already, bring it along to get it signed by the vendors and us.

    Our post-lunch event at Bookcourt starts at 4pm. Kim Ima from the Treats Truck will be vending outside from about 2:30pm onwards. We'll show you how to make your Derby Party extra awesome with the Frozen Mint Julep recipe from Kelvin Slush, then have a street vending discussion with Kim and wrap things up with a Q&A and signing.

    We love drop bys, but if you do plan on coming, please RSVP to the FB event. I need to know how much booze to bring!

    Photo credit: Donny Tsang
  • ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Brownie!
    Baked Sprinkle Cake
    Today is Brownie's aka Alex's birthday. She plans on doing fun things like eating pie and playing with Lil B. After the past few weeks, where that lovely lady has stepped up to the plate while I dealt with terrible family happenings, I will gladly answer the emails, be all social on the Twitters, and take meetings so that she can do this. Just let me know if you end up getting a sprinkle cake from Baked because ER MAH GAWD, SPRINKLES!!!!!! Happy birthday, lady!
  • Stop the Presses: The "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" from Ample Hills is Brownie’s New Favorite Sundae
    Crossing Brooklyn Ferry from Ample Hills Creamery2
    I’ve been craving an awesome hot fudge sundae for months. MONTHS, I tell you. And for various reasons said hot fudge sundae has been continually postponed: too full, too late, too busy. Well, I want to tell you about an ridiculous hot fudge sundae that I just had at Ample Hills Creamery in Brooklyn that’s worth penciling into your calendar stat.

    I’m a huge fan of the ice cream at Ample Hills (and so is Blondie). Such a fan that while it makes me sad to spot amazing specials on Twitter and Facebook, knowing that I won’t make it in time for one day dealies—like when they were delivering pints during the blizzard. Yet, in my heart of hearts I know that if I lived any closer I’d probably pack on some serious pounds as a frequent buyer. And…absence makes the heart grow fonder, plus gives me a great excuse to really splurge on the special trips that I do get to make to AH.

    Lawman had long promised me that hot fudge sundae and I finally went to collect after our book signing at the Downtown Literary Festival. I was just going to do their typical brownie sundae when a new (or at least new-to-me) item on their menu caught my attention: the “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” a tribute to the poem from which Ample Hills derives its name. Crossing Brooklyn Ferry ($10.65 plus tax) is an epic hybrid of a banana split and a hot fudge sundae. It starts in a little teal boat, yes, a boat. They line the sides of the boat with a split banana then fill the hull with your choice of ooey-gooey cake or brownie then topped with three huge scoops of ice cream THEN…still with me?...topped with homemade hot fudge and caramel, wet walnuts, fresh whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry on top.

    Right now, for a limited time, they are serving chocolate ooey-goey cake and when I placed my order it came highly recommended by several of the staff, so I picked that as my base. For the ice creams I went with strawberries and cream, peanut butter flake and Honey Graham (a honey vanilla ice cream with pieces of homemade chocolate-covered graham cracker crust). Since I can’t have walnuts I got those on the side for my fellow sundae eaters, Lawman and Little B.

    Unless you have a monster appetite, do not undertake consuming this sundae lightly or without aid. In fact, I was politely cautioned by a couple staffers as I placed my order who asked me how many people I had to eat the sundae with me. But if you have back up, oh man, oh man, go for it. Every single darn component of this sundae from the ripe but not too ripe bananas to the gooey cake to the flavor packed ice cream and sauces and whipped cream was top notch. I may not indulge in sundaes often, but next time I do, you can bet it will be another one of these.

    Ample Hills Creamery
    623 Vanderbilt Ave
    Prospect Heights
    (347) 240-3926
    www.amplehills.com
  • We're Talking about "Tweeting & Eating" TONIGHT at the NYPL with Some Awesome Food Friends
    Adam from the Cinnamon Snail
    With three events over four days, this has been a bit of a whirlwind week for us. Tonight we'll be at the Mid-Manhattan branch of NYPL moderating a discussion on food and social media entitled: Tweeting and Eating: How Social Media has Changed the Way We Eat. And we'll be chatting with some pretty awesome folks...Thomas DeGeest, owner and founder of Wafels & Dinges Belgian Waffle truck, Ed Levine, founder of Serious Eats, Chef Adam Sobel, owner and founder of The Cinnamon Snail Vegan Truck, and Melissa Zhang, Ruskin International Communications Senior Account Executive...

    Whether you're on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp...never before has it been easier to hunt down delicious food and share your own discoveries. In our panel discussion we'll explore the intersection of food and social media, the rise of online food communities and the explosion of New York's food truck scene.
    After the event we'll be signing copies of our cookbook New York à la Cart and Ed will be signing copies of Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Eating Delicious Food Wherever You Are
    The event begins right at 6:30 and will wrap by 8:30pm. Please NOTE: this is at the Mid-Manhattan branch, that's NOT the one with the lions, it's the library across the street on 5th between 39th and 40th.
  • Catch Us at Powerhouse Arena Tomorrow Night with Three Awesome Vendors
    NYalaCart truck sticker
    This weekend we were fortunate to participate in the first ever Downtown Literary Festival hosted by Housing Works Bookstore and Cafe and McNally Jackson. We had a terrific dialogue with three veteran vendors, Nick from Uncle Gussy's in Midtown, Fauzia from Fauzia's Heavenly Delights up in the Bronx, and Jonathan from Patacon Pisao in Washington Heights along with Cesar Fuentes, the executive director of the Red Hook Food Vendors. It was an honor to share the stage with these amazing and passionate vendors, all of whom are past Vendy Awards finalists. Tomorrow night we'll be chatting with three other fantastic vendors from the book. So come on down to powerHouse Arena for dinner and stay to get a book signed by us, the vendors and our terrific photographers Donny Tsang and Clay Williams...

    The full details on the event are here. Please do RSVP so the store knows how many people to expect. In the meantime here's a sneak preview...

    DSC00145
    Tomorrow night we'll be joined by Vendy finalist Chef Samir Afrit from the Comme Ci, Comme Ça Truck which specializes in Mediterranean food with an emphasis on the cuisine from Chef Samir's native Morocco. The book features his recipe for Lemon Chicken, Vegetable Couscous, Kofta, Charmoula and Green Olive Sauce. You can make yourself an incredible Moroccan feast with those recipes alone. Chef Samir mainly vends around Manhattan--both downtown and midtown, but as a special treat the truck will be vending prior to the event at Powerhouse Arena. Follow Chef Samir for any updates @Chefsamirtruck.
    Adorable Kim!
    We'll also be joined by the always lovely, Kim Ima aka The Treats Truck Lady and her big silver truck Sugar. Kim was one of the first vendors we became friendly with during the early days of the Treats Truck and our blog. She's shared her Coffee Icebox Cake recipe and her spiced zucchini cake recipe in our book and she also has her very own book, The Treats Truck Baking Book, that's full of tons of yummy treat recipes, regulars will recognize from the truck. Keep tabs on The Treats Truck and Kim's shop, The Treats Truck Stop @TheTreatsTruck.
    Morris Grilled Cheese
    Last, but certainly not least, we'll be joined by Michael Jacober from Morris Grilled Cheese. For serious cheese lovers, Morris' seasonal and local menu is one of the best things between bread roaming the streets. They'll be serving up dinner* and stories. Our book features their recipe for Hot Pastrami sandwiches (yum!), papas fritas as well as chimichurri sauce and a primer with tips for making the BEST grilled cheese ever. Keep track of Morris via @morristruck. And they just opened Gladys, a brick and mortar shop in Crown Heights. The early peek at Gladys on Grub Street has me dying to make a visit. The event runs from 7:00pm until 9:00, but the trucks will be vending earlier in the evening so you can get a bite to eat before the talk and signing. As always, keep tabs on them via twitter for their exact location. Hope to see you there!

    powerHouse Arena
    37 Main Street
    Brooklyn, New York 11201

    *After posting, we learned that unfortunately, the Morris Truck will not be able to join us for the event, but Michael be there for the panel.
  • Books + Us + Vendors + Stories!!!!
    Downtown_Literary_Festival

    It's been gorgeous out! So, what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than downtown being smarts and hitting up a literary festival downtown? Well, we'll be there! With vendors! And food! And dirty gossip about life as a street vendor!

    Around 1:30p, we're sitting down at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe with Red Hook Food Vendors Executive Director, Cesar Fuentes, and Vendy award finalists Nick Karagiorgos, second generation owner of Midtown's Uncle Gussy's Greek Truck; Fauzia Abdur-Rahman from Bronx-based Fauzia's Heavenly Delights' and Jonathan Hernandez from uptown's Patacon Pisao; to discuss, well, life as a street vendor. Of course, we're not the only food-related part of the day, the owners of Russ & Daughters will be at the Cafe earlier while dishing with DISH at 11:30a. You might see us there. Or at the section afterwards involving learning literary pieces to recite. Or shopping for books. Or eating! Oh my goodness, so many things.

    Here's the full website with the day's schedule, *and* here's the Facebook event specifically for us! RSVP is the way to be!
  • Best Lunch Deal in Town
    Brussels Sprouts Pizza
    Motorino will always have a fond place in my heart. The original Williamsburg location was the home of many dates, an eye-opener in terms of pizza for me, and one of the reasons I moved to Brooklyn. Then the Brooklyn location closed and anyone who wanted to enjoy their Neapolitans had to trek to the East Village to squeeze into a crowded restaurant. Or they could just go for their weekday lunch special!!

    Salad
    $12 for beyond delicious pizza and a salad? Sold. I'd heard rumors of this lunch special, so when a friend asked for a lunch date last week, I said "Motorino." It helps that the special includes one of my favorite pizzas of all time, the Brussels Sprout with pancetta. Perfectly roasted slices of sprouts with diced meaty porcine goodness in every bite. I die every time. You can also get the Marinara, Margarita, or Soppressata Picante. With all those summer Fridays coming up--and those *cough* *cough* sick days when it just so happens to be gorgeous out--I'm sure I'll see a few of you there.

    Motorino
    349 East 12th Street
    East Village
    (212) 777-2644